Method for assembling camera assembly

ABSTRACT

A method for assembling a camera assembly for viewing in all directions inside a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising a body, a door, and the camera assembly. The camera assembly comprises a locking base, a securing base, and a camera, the securing base being coupled to the locking base. The camera is coupled to the securing base, the securing base defines a slot for receiving the camera. The locking base is coupled to the door.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to design and manufacture,and to an assembling method of a camera assembly.

BACKGROUND

Many refrigerators include a camera assembly. However, quantity ofcameras and structure make it complicated for assembling, which mayaffect a whole function of the refrigerator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with referenceto the following figures. The components in the figures are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigeratoremploying a camera assembly.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the camera assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the camera assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is another exploded view of the camera assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a circled portion III of the cameraassembly of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among thedifferent figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein.However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the artthat the exemplary embodiments described herein can be practiced withoutthese specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, andcomponents have not been described in detail so as not to obscure therelated relevant feature being described. Also, the description is notto be considered as limiting the scope of the exemplary embodimentsdescribed herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and theproportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustratedetails and features of the present disclosure.

The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly orindirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarilylimited to physical connections. The connection can be such that theobjects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term“comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarilylimited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion ormembership in the so-described combination, group, series, and the like.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a refrigerator 100. The refrigerator 100includes a camera assembly 10, a body 20, and a door 30. The body 20includes a shelf 40. The shelf 40 is for storing goods. The door 30 iscoupled to the body 20 and can be opened and closed to the body 20. Thecamera assembly 10 is coupled to the door 30. When the door 30 isclosed, the camera assembly 10 faces the body 20. In at least oneembodiment, the door 30 includes an inner surface 301 facing the body 20and an outer surface 303 facing away from the body 20.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate that the camera assembly 10 includes a camera50. The camera assembly 10 further includes a locking base 101 and asecuring base 103. The securing base 103 is coupled to the inner surface301 through the locking base 101. The securing base 103 is for securingthe camera 50.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, an intersecting surface of the lockingbase 101 is substantially L-shaped. The locking base 101 includes abottom board 102 and a protruding portion 104. The bottom board 102 issubstantially a rectangular board. The bottom board 102 includes a firstsurface 1021 facing the door 30 and a second surface 1022 facing awayfrom the door 30.

The protruding portion 104 protrudes from an edge of the first surface1021. In addition, the locking base 101 further includes an enforcingrib 1011. The enforcing rib 1011 is substantially L-shaped. Theenforcing rib 1011 is between the bottom board 102 and the protrudingportion 104, reinforcing a connection between the bottom board 102 andthe protruding portion 104.

The bottom board 102 defines a plurality of locking holes 1023. Thelocking holes 1023 are for insertion of screws for locking the lockingbase 101 to the inner surface 301.

The bottom board 102 includes a plurality of blocks 1024 on the secondsurface 1022. The inner surface 301 includes a plurality of grooves (notshown) corresponding to the blocks 1024. Thus, the locking base 101 iscoupled to the inner surface 301 through coupling the blocks 1024 intothe grooves.

In another embodiment, the locking base 101 can be built into the innersurface 301, the protruding portion 104 then protruding from the innersurface 301.

The protruding portion 104 includes cabling grooves 1041 for securingcables of the camera assembly 10. The protruding portion 104 issubstantially L-shaped and includes a sidewall substantiallyperpendicular to the bottom board 102 and a top wall substantiallyparallel to the bottom board 102. The top wall of the protruding portion104 includes two protrusion walls 1042. The two protrusion walls 1042and the top wall of the protruding portion 104 cooperatively form thecabling groove 1041.

The top wall of the protruding portion 104 further includes at least onepositioning latch 1043. In at least one embodiment, the positioninglatch 1043 is substantially M-shaped and is for positioning cablesreceived in the cabling groove 1041, avoiding the cables becomingdetached from the cabling groove 1041.

The bottom board 102 further includes at least one first outlet hole1025. The top wall of the protruding portion 104 further includes atleast one second outlet hole 1044. The at least one first outlet hole1025 and the at least one second outlet hole 1044 are both for cableruns.

The securing base 103 is substantially rectangular and includes a topwall 105 and an external wall 107. The external wall 107 includes anupper external wall 1071, a lower external wall 1072, a left externalwall 1073, and a right external wall 1074. The upper external wall 1071,the lower external wall 1072, the left external wall 1073, and the rightexternal wall 1074 surround the top wall 105 and cooperatively form areceiving portion 200. The receiving portion 200 includes an opening1031. The protruding portion 104 is received in the receiving portion200 through the opening 1031.

The external wall 107 defines at least one first hole 1032 through theexternal wall 107. The external wall 107 includes at least one firstconnecting post 1033 positioned in the receiving portion 200. The firstconnecting post 1033 corresponds to the first hole 1032. One end of thefirst connecting post 1033 is perpendicular to the external wall 107,the other end of the first connecting post 1033 extends inwardly in thereceiving portion 200. In at least one embodiment, the first connectingpost 1033 is coupled to the left external wall 1073. Correspondingly,the protruding portion 104 includes at least one first mounting post1015 corresponding to the first connecting post 1033. The first mountingpost 1015 can be a bolt. A screw can be coupled to the first connectingpost 1033 through the first hole 1032 and coupled into the firstmounting post 1015, thereby, the securing base 103 is coupled to thelocking base 101 in a first direction, such as an X-axis direction.

The top wall 105 of the securing base 103 defines a slot 106. The slot106 is substantially rectangular. The slot 106 includes a bottom wall1061 and a peripheral wall 1062. The slot 106 is for setting the camera50. The slot 106 faces the body 20. Thus, the camera 50 set in the slot106 can capture images of the goods in the body 20. In addition, therefrigerator 100 further includes a tablet computer (not shown). Thetablet computer is coupled to the outer surface 303 of the door 30. Thetablet computer is electrically connected to the camera 50 by wires orwirelessly and is for processing and storing images captured by thecamera. Therefore, the user may view the goods in the refrigerator 100when the door 30 is closed.

The slot 106 defines at least one second hole 1063 throughout the bottomwall 1061. The bottom wall 1061 includes at least one second connectingpost 1064 in the receiving portion 200. The second connecting post 1064is substantially a hollow column and corresponds to the second hole1063. One end of the second connecting post 1064 is substantiallyperpendicularly connected to the bottom wall 1061, another end of thesecond connecting post 1064 extends inwardly in the receiving portion200. Correspondingly, the protruding portion 104 includes at least onesecond mounting post 1017 corresponding to the second connecting post1064. The second mounting post 1017 can be a bolt. A screw can becoupled to the second connecting post 1064 through the second hole 1063and coupled into the second mounting post 1017, thereby, the securingbase 103 can be coupled to the locking base 101 in a second direction,such as a Y-axis direction. The first direction is perpendicular to thesecond direction.

In other embodiments, the upper external wall 1071 includes a latchingportion 1075. Correspondingly, the locking base 101 includes latchingrib 1019 corresponding to the latching portion 1075. The securing base103 is coupled to the locking base 101 in the second direction by meansof the latching portion 1075 latching to the latching rib 1019.

For capturing images of the goods in the refrigerator 100, the upperexternal wall 1071 and the lower external wall 1072 of the securing base103 are both in a third direction. That is, the camera 10 is in thethird direction. The first direction, the second direction, and thethird direction are perpendicular to each other. In at least oneembodiment, the third direction is a Z-axis direction. Thus, when thecamera assembly 10 is in the Z-axis direction and coupled to the innersurface 301 of the door 30, the camera 50 may be aligned to view alllayers of the shelf 40 to make sure that all goods in the body 20 can becaptured. Meanwhile, the camera assembly 10 is coupled to a joint of thedoor 30 and the body 20 and adjacent to an opening area of the door 30so as not to affect other elements, such as a storing box 60, on theinner surface 301. The external wall 107 of the securing base 103includes at least one projection 1076 for securing the storing box 60 onthe door 30.

There are no other objects to block the image captures of the camera 50.

In other embodiments, the slot 106 further includes a plurality ofbaffles 1065. The baffles 1065 divide the slot 106 into a plurality ofreceiving slots 1066. The receiving slots 1066 are for receiving thecamera 50. In details, each receiving slot 1066 corresponds to one layerof the shelf, thus the camera 50 may capture images of all goods in thebody 20.

FIG. 5 illustrates that the bottom wall 1061 includes at least one clip1067 for clipping the camera 50. Particularly, the clip 1067 issubstantially U-shaped.

The camera assembly 10 further includes at least one connector 108 forelectrically connecting the camera 50 to other electronic elements onthe door 30. Particularly, the connector 108 is substantiallysheet-shaped. Correspondingly, the receiving slots 1066 define at leastone via 1068 for receiving the connector 108. The via 1068 is adjacentto the clip 1067. When an end of the connector 108 that is not connectedto the camera 50 is inserted through the via 1068, the camera 50 can beclipped into the clip 1067.

In other embodiments, the securing base 103 further includes a cover109. The cover 109 covers the slot 106 and is for securing the camera50. The cover 109 defines at least one aperture 1091 corresponding tothe camera 50. The aperture 1091 is for exposing the camera 50 from thecover 109. Thus, the cover 109 may secure the camera 50 and not blockthe view of the camera 50.

In at least one embodiment, the cover 109 is coupled to the securingbase 103 by latching. The cover 109 further includes a plurality oflatching pieces 1092 on a peripheral edge. The slot 106 includes aplurality of latching slots 1069 on the peripheral wall 1062. Thelatching pieces 1092 are latched to the latching slots 1069, thus thecover 109 can be coupled the securing base 103. Other connection means,such as adhesion or threaded connection, are also available for thecover 109 and the securing base 103.

The camera assembly 10 can be assembled in following steps:

Step I, the refrigerator 100 is provided. The refrigerator 100 includesa camera assembly 10, a body 20, a door 30, a shelf 40, and a tabletcomputer (not shown). The door 30 is coupled to the body 20. The shelf40 is secured in the body 20. The tablet computer (not shown) is securedin an outer surface 303 of the door 30. The camera assembly 10 includesa camera 50, a locking base 101, and a securing base 103.

Step II, coupling the securing base 103 to the locking base 101.

The intersecting surface of the locking base 101 is substantiallyL-shaped. The locking base 101 includes a bottom board 102 and aprotruding portion 104. The bottom board 102 is substantially arectangular board. The bottom board 102 includes a first surface 1021facing the door 30 and a second surface 1022 facing away from the door30.

The securing base 103 is substantially rectangular and includes a topwall 105 and an external wall 107. The external wall 107 includes anupper external wall 1071, a lower external wall 1072, a left externalwall 1073, and a right external wall 1074. The upper external wall 1071,the lower external wall 1072, the left external wall 1073, and the rightexternal wall 1074 surround the top wall 105 and cooperatively form areceiving portion 200. The receiving portion 200 includes an opening1031. The protruding portion 104 is received in the receiving portion200 through the opening 1031.

The external wall 107 defines at least one first hole 1032 through theexternal wall 107. The external wall 107 includes at least one firstconnecting post 1033 positioned in the receiving portion 200. The firstconnecting post 1033 is corresponding to the first hole 1032. One end ofthe first connecting post 1033 is perpendicular to the external wall107, the other end of the first connecting post 1033 extends inwardly inthe receiving portion 200. In at least one embodiment, the firstconnecting post 1033 is coupled to the left external wall 1073.Correspondingly, the protruding portion 104 includes at least one firstmounting post 1015 corresponding to the first connecting post 1033. Thefirst mounting post 1015 can be a bolt. A screw can be coupled to thefirst connecting post 1033 through the first hole 1032 and coupled intothe first mounting post 1015, thereby, the securing base 103 can becoupled to the locking base 101 in a first direction, such as an X-axisdirection.

The top wall 105 of the securing base 103 defines a slot 106. The slot106 is substantially rectangular. The slot 106 includes a bottom wall1061 and a peripheral wall 1062. The slot 106 defines at least onesecond hole 1063 through the bottom wall 1061. The bottom wall 1061includes at least one second connecting post 1064 in the receivingportion 200. The second connecting post 1064 is substantially a hollowcolumn and corresponds to the second hole 1063. One end of the secondconnecting post 1064 is substantially perpendicularly connected to thebottom wall 1061, another end of the second connecting post 1064 extendsinwardly in the receiving portion 200. Correspondingly, the protrudingportion 104 includes at least one second mounting post 1017corresponding to the second connecting post 1064. The second mountingpost 1017 can be a bolt. A screw can be coupled to the second connectingpost 1064 through the second hole 1063 and coupled into the secondmounting post 1017, thereby, the securing base 103 can be coupled to thelocking base 101 in a second direction, such as a Y-axis direction. Thefirst direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

Step III, coupling the camera 50 to the securing base 103.

positioning the camera 50 in the slot 106.

The slot 106 further includes a plurality of baffles 1065. The baffles1065 divide the slot 106 into a plurality of receiving slots 1066. Thereceiving slots 1066 are for receiving the camera 50. In details, eachreceiving slot 1066 corresponds to one layer of the shelf, thus thecamera 50 may capture images of all goods in the body 20.

The bottom wall 1061 includes at least one clip 1067 for clipping thecamera 50. Particularly, the clip 1067 is substantially U-shaped.

The camera assembly 10 further includes at least one connector 108 forelectrically connecting the camera 50 to other electronic elements onthe door 30. Particularly, the connector 108 is substantiallysheet-shaped. Correspondingly, the receiving slots 1066 define at leastone via 1068 for receiving the connector 108. The via 1068 is adjacentto the clip 1067. When an end of the connector 108 that is not connectedto the camera 50 is inserted through the via 1068, the camera 50 can beclipped into the clip 1067.

Step IV, assembling cover.

The camera assembly 10 further includes a cover 109. The cover 109covers the slot 106 and is for securing the camera 50. The cover 109defines at least one aperture 1091 corresponding to the camera 50. Theaperture 1091 is for exposing the camera 50 from the cover 109. Thus,the cover 109 may secure the camera 50 and not block the view of thecamera 50.

In at least one embodiment, the cover 109 is latched to the securingbase 103. The cover 109 further includes a plurality of latching pieces1092 on a peripheral edge. The slot 106 includes a plurality of latchingslots 1069 on the peripheral wall 1062. The latching pieces 1092 canlatch to the latching slots 1069, thus the cover 109 can be coupled thesecuring base 103. Other connection means, such as adhesion or threadedconnection, are also available for the cover 109 and the securing base103.

Step V, coupling the camera assembly 10 to the inner surface 301 of thedoor 30.

The bottom board 102 includes a plurality of blocks 1024 on the secondsurface 1022. The inner surface 301 includes a plurality of grooves (notshown) corresponding to the blocks 1024. Thus, the locking base 101 iscoupled to the inner surface 301 through coupling the blocks 1024 intothe grooves.

For capturing images of all the goods in the refrigerator 100, the upperexternal wall 1071 and the lower external wall 1072 of the securing base103 are both in a third direction. That is, the camera 10 is in thethird direction. The third direction is a Z-axis direction. Thus, whenthe camera assembly 10 is in the Z-axis direction and coupled to theinner surface 301 of the door 30, the camera 50 may be aligned to alllayers of the shelf 40 to make sure that images of all goods in the body20 can be captured. Meanwhile, the camera assembly 10 is coupled to ajoint of the door 30 and the body 20 and adjacent to an opening area ofthe door 30. Thus other elements, such as a storing box 60 on the innersurface 301, are not affected. There are no other objects blocking theview of the camera 50.

In other embodiments, firstly, the locking base 101 is secured andsecondly, the securing base 103 is coupled to the locking base 101through the protruding portion 104. Thus, extra step can be added beforestep II for securing the locking base 101, and step V can be omitted.

Securing the locking base 101 can be done in following two manners:

Manner I, the bottom board 102 defines a plurality of locking holes1023. The locking holes 1023 are for insertion of screws for locking thelocking base 101 to the inner surface 301.

Manner II, the locking base 101 can be built into the inner surface 301,the protruding portion 104 protruding from the inner surface 301.

In general, the camera assembly 10 is secured on the inner surface 301of the door 30, for capturing images of the goods in the refrigerator100. The camera assembly 10 is in the Z-axis direction and coupled tothe inner surface 301 of the door 30, thus the camera 50 may be alignedto view all layers of the shelf 40 to make sure that images of all goodsin the body 20 can be captured. Meanwhile, the camera assembly 10 iscoupled to a joint of the door 30 and the body 20 and adjacent to anopening area of the door 30, so as not to affect other elements. Inaddition, the camera assembly 10 has a simple structure and can beeasily assembled.

It is believed that the exemplary embodiments and their advantages willbe understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparentthat various changes may be made thereto without departing from thescope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its advantages. Theexamples herein described are mere illustrative exemplary embodiments ofthe disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for assembling a camera assembly forviewing in all directions inside a refrigerator, the method comprising:providing the refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising a body, a door,and the camera assembly, the door coupled to the body, the cameraassembly comprising a locking base, a securing base, and a camera,wherein the locking base comprises a bottom board and a protrudingportion, the bottom board is coupled to the door, the protruding portionis perpendicular to the bottom board, the securing base is coupled tothe locking base through the protruding portion, the securing basecomprises a top wall and an external wall, the external wall surroundsthe top wall and cooperatively form a receiving portion, the receivingportion comprises an opening, the protruding portion is received in thereceiving portion through the opening, the bottom board covers theopening, the top wall defines a slot for receiving the camera; couplingthe securing base to the locking base; coupling the camera to thesecuring base, the securing base defining a slot for receiving thecamera; clipping the camera in the slot by a clip, the clip being in theslot and U-shaped; covering a cover with at least one aperture to theslot, the camera correspondingly exposed from the cover; and couplingthe locking base to the door.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the external wall comprises at least one first hole throughoutthe external wall and at least one first connecting post, the firstconnecting post is corresponding to the first hole, the first connectingpost is positioned in the receiving portion, the protruding portioncomprises at least one first mounting post corresponding to the firstconnecting post, the first mounting post is coupled to the firstconnecting post to secure the securing base to the locking base in afirst direction.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein theexternal wall comprises an upper external wall, a lower external wall, aleft external wall, and a right external wall, the left external walland the right external wall are in the first direction, the upperexternal wall and the lower external wall are in a third direction, thethird direction is perpendicular to the first direction.
 4. The methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein the slot of the securing base comprises abottom wall and a peripheral wall, the slot of the securing base furthercomprises at least one second hole throughout the bottom wall and atleast one second connecting post, the second connecting post iscorresponding to the second hole, the connecting post is positioned inthe receiving portion, the protruding portion comprises at least onesecond mounting post corresponding to the second connecting post, thesecond mounting post is coupled to the second connecting post to securethe securing base to the locking base in a second direction, the firstdirection is perpendicular to the second direction.
 5. The method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the locking base further comprises anenforcing rib, the enforcing rib is substantially L-shaped, theenforcing rib is between the bottom board and the protruding portion,the enforcing rib is for enforcing a connection between the bottom boardand the protruding portion.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe camera assembly is coupled to a joint of the door and the body andadjacent to an opening area of the door.